{our mountain weekend.}

Alan has been scheduling himself off on Sunday's for the past several months now so we could spend more time together. Well, since last weekend was tax-free and of course Best Buy was slammed, he had to work.  So this past weekend he had off Saturday and Sunday (which never, ever happens). We decided to take advantage of it and off to the mountains we went! Alan has been wanting to buy a tent for a while now, so I figured we would get one and save some money =) We just got a little 4 person tent (they say 4 person, but they would have to be 10 years old to fit 4 people in there). We figured we could start going out of town a lot more and just camp out. I actually really do not like the beach (actually, I just don't like the beaches here. White sand and clear waters are more my thing!) and I would rather be in the mountains any day, so this works out perfectly! We left around 7am Saturday morning and got to Chimney Rock State Park around 9:45am. When we got there we hiked up to Hickory Nut Falls. 

After that we went up to the top to see the actual chimney. It was very, very cloudy and rainy, of course, so our views were a little obstructed-- but it was still beautiful! =) I absolutely love Lake Lure (where Dirty Dancing was filmed) and there was an awesome view from up top!

After that, we hiked up a little further to Devil's Head and Exclamation Point. The views were amazing (even with the serious overcast and heavy fog). 

We drove about 2 hours to Brevard, NC to put up our tent and camp out for the night. It rained all night long. Around 8am we decided to pack up and go exploring some more. We were originally going to float down the river and go to Sliding Rock, but it was storming too bad. We decided to go hike to Devil's Courthouse instead =)

update.

A lot of random things happened this week. 

      

For starters: 

1. My computer fell off the couch and hit the one thing on the floor and cracked my computer screen. Luckily it was just the glass part, so I am still able to use it. Apple says it will be around $400 to fix it.

2. I got several sketchy calls to set up job interviews. Word of advice: when Career Builder gives you the option to make your resume public and "let employers find you"-- don't do it.

3. I got a job as a toddler teacher at a church preschool =) I will be the lead teacher and there is a girl with special needs that volunteers in this particular room.  I am so excited because I will finally be in the education industry and I can obtain experience that will be beneficial to me and advance my career. Just a little side note: it really bothers me how little educators make.

4. I think Alan and I have finally put an end to some of the major family issues we have been dealing with for several years now. This is a huge weight lifted off my shoulders and I really hope everyone will be able to get along now. Probably just wishful thinking, but one can only hope!

** And the one that topped everything else-- **

5. My "wonderful" dog decided to go into my purse this morning, take out my adderall prescription & chew on the bottle so the top popped off. I was only gone for about 15 minutes and when I got home she was sitting on our bed like usual. Around 10:30am (about an hour and a half after she did this...) I realized the bottle was missing & I found it, along with the actual pills underneath my dining room table. I freaked out. After calling pretty much every single vet in Columbia and basically staring at Bella for two hours, I don't think she actually ingested any of them. I think she was chewing on the bottle and when the top popped off it shot all the pills and lid under the table. Isabella is no longer allowed out when we are not here/watching her.

(oh, and when I was calling all of those vets-- freaking Northeast Animal Clinic didn't even know what adderall was. Are you kidding me?? I repeated how to spell it and the fact that it was an amphetamine like 10 times. She continued to say that she was sure I meant Advil and that it was an antihistamine And then she was like, "...and what is this used for?" Finally, I just told her never mind and I would call a vet that actually knew something. Harsh? Yes. However, I am not one to like repeating myself, especially when I am freaking out about something potentially life threatening. That was Bella's primary vet, not anymore.)

I am going up to the daycare in a little bit to pick up my employee information. I won't be able to start for about two weeks because I have to wait for my background check & I have to be cleared by DSS. I can't wait to see what it's like to work somewhere you actually want to be! Not that I didn't like working at Bank of America (ok, maybe I didn't exactly like the management.. but I liked my job) but this is ultimately what I want to do with my life.  

With Alan going to school for Criminal Justice (he's graduating in May) and me going for Special Education, we are basically going to be broke forever. At least we'll be happy though =)

{my new family.}

My dad and Eileen have been together for about two and a half years now. From the beginning I knew she was a perfect match for my dad and I hoped they would get married one day. They have both been married before and my dad had made it pretty clear to me that he did not want to get married again. I guess it goes to show that if you meet the right person, anything can happen...

I got a phone call from both of them last night & they are ENGAGED! =) 

Apparently it happened a few months ago, but they didn't want to "rain on my parade" by announcing it around the time of my wedding. Uh, I would have liked to know this wonderful news no matter WHEN it was, thank you! Regardless, I am so incredibly happy for them! I am so glad that my dad found such a wonderful person that makes him happier than I have ever seen him. They will be getting married on October 10, 2010 in Sedona, Arizona (yes, 10/10/10 haha). The place they picked is absolutely gorgeous! 

Eileen has three girls-- Kelsey, who is ten and twins-- Jensen & Kathryn (who goes by Reilly) who are 7.

So, I will now have five sisters and one brother (between my mom & dad). Yikes!!

Here are some pictures so you can get to know my new family: 

me, Kelsey & my dad on Mt. Lemmon

me & Jensen

Eileen, Reilly & Jensen

Alan deep in conversation with the girls during dinner =)

Jensen & her new brother-in law  (so weird!)

Jordan & Reilly

Eileen & her girls in Sedona, Arizona--where they're getting married! =)

The twins =)

The new family.
(minus me & Derek)

{baby showers & 21st birthdays!}

This past weekend was all sorts of important events/milestones. Brielle's baby shower was so much fun, and Baby 'C' got lots of clothes & other goodies! =)

After Brielle's shower, I went with my family to pick up my brother. He's living in Chicago now, so my mom flew him home for his 21st birthday =)

{visit to the neurosurgeon.}

Well, let's just say my visit with the Neurosurgeon didn't go as well as I'd hoped. Apparently the herniated disc isn't compressing any nerves, therefore it is not causing the pain, numbness, tingling & cramping in my legs/back/hip/groin. Wonderful. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the issue isn't something to do with my spine, however now I'm pretty much back to square one (or 2, since at least I do know about the herniated disc.) The doctor is pretty convinced the nerve damage is in my pelvis, and is more than likely from my first surgery when they removed my tube--the second surgery only made everything worse. The problem now is that my ob-gyn has said the problem is not from my surgery, my primary care doctor says it's my herniated disc & Piriformis Syndrome & my physical therapist says the same thing, and the Neurosurgeon says it's not my spine. I believe the Neurosurgeon. Not just because of his expertise, but because my pain originated in my groin and then gradually spread everywhere else. He started me on Lryica (a nerve blocker) to see if that relieves any of the pain. If it doesn't help within the next two weeks he will begin a series of nerve tests & then I will see a Neurologist.

I guess we will see what happens from here..

golf.

I went golfing with Alan today.. and it was hot. That is all.

{fourth of july weekend.}

We had a lot of fun this weekend! We went to dinner Saturday night at Blue Marlin, and then went to see Eclipse, and after that we went to Frankie’s and played putt-putt. We left for Savannah Sunday morning and got down there around 10:00 and decided to take Bella to the park and down River Street. We attempted to go to Tybee Island, but traffic was absolutely INSANE! So we went to the hotel and they let us check in early. The hotel was really, really nice and we had an awesome view of the bridge J We went to lunch at B&D Burger joint .. of course I had a slaw dog with chili though J And afterwards we took a nap at the hotel. We went down to River Street for the fireworks and other celebrations. We attempted to eat dinner down there, but after an hour of waiting for our food (peel and eat shrimp & fried shrimp) we left. So, we watched the fireworks and then just ordered room service at the hotel with Bella! Monday after check out we decided to go to Hunting Island since they allow pets. We went up in the lighthouse there and took Bella in the ocean for the first time! She didn’t quite know what to think of it though. Finally, Alan and I ate at Johnson Creek Tavern. They had the BEST shrimp! …And then we came homeJ And that’s the end of our trip!

bucket list.

On the way back from Savannah yesterday Alan and I got to talking about all of the things we want to do before we die. SO, here is my new & improved "bucket list." It's not finished, but what I already have will keep me busy (and broke) for the next 100 years. I have already flown hundreds of times in my life (my dad is in the aviation industry) so I have been to every state in the US (minus Hawaii and Alaska) and I have seen a great deal of things in our country =) Now it's time to explore the rest of the world! The majority of the things on my list I want to experience with our kids once we have them & they are old enough to understand & appreciate where we go. 

• Get married
• Go skydiving
• Visit New York City
• Have a slice of REAL New York style pizza
• Go to the top of Rockefeller Center
• Walk through Central Park
• Climb a mountain
• Give a heartfelt surprise to someone
• Make a difference in someone’s life
• Perform a kind deed to at least 5 strangers without expecting anything in return
• Have children
• Visit the Eiffel Tower
• Visit New Orleans
• Visit the Golden Gate Bridge
• Visit Yellowstone National Park
• Visit Niagara Falls
• See the St. Louis Arch
• See the Grand Canyon
• See Big Ben
• Visit Venice, Florence & Rome, Italy
• See the Swiss Alps
• See the cliffs in Ireland
• Go on an African Safari
• Go to Germany for Oktoberfest
• Go to Australia and hold a Koala Bear
• See the Northern Lights
• Go to the Florida Keys & take a picture with the “southern most point in the continental US” sign
• Go deep sea fishing
• Take a self defense class
• Run a marathon
• See a sunrise & sunset
• Graduate college and become a special education teacher
• Buy a house
• Learn how to salsa & swing dance
• Backpack across Europe
• Go on a cross-country road trip
• Ride on a camel
• Swim with dolphins
• Visit Fiji
• Pack my bags and set off for a random location with no itinerary planned at all
•  Visit Hollywood & see the Hollywood sign
• Go to the airport and buy tickets for the next departure
• Adopt a child
• Visit a castle in England
• Visit a concentration camp
• Learn sign language
• See the Mona Lisa in Louvre
• Visit a volcano
• Fly in a helicopter
• Volunteer at the Special Olympics
• Volunteer at a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving
• Visit Barcelona, Spain
• Visit a rainforest
• Kiss under a waterfall
• Learn martial art
• Plant a tree
• Witness a solar eclipse
• Go horseback riding
• Sail a boat
• Take scuba diving lessons
• Visit all of the wonders of the world
• Visit the Middle East
• Visit every continent
• Visit the Taj Mahal
• See the Great Wall of China
• Visit the Colosseum in Rome
• See Egyptian Pyramids
• See Mt. Everest
• Visit Hawaii and learn to hula dance
• Visit every state in the US
• Swim in every ocean
• Try surfing
• Take a cooking class in Italy
• Go whitewater rafting
• Stay in a cabin in the mountains
• Plant a garden
• Go to New York City for New Years Eve
• Go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras
• Change someone’s life
• See a kangaroo in Australia
• Go to Tahiti
• Stay in an over the water bungalow
• Visit a movie set
• Live without electricity for a week
• Ride in a hot air balloon
• Visit Greece
• Find my hidden talent
• Finally learn to whistle
• Witness a cure for an illness (cancer, diabetes etc.)
• Try something new
• Go to a Broadway musical
• Be in two places at once
• Explore my heritage
• Milk a cow
• Visit the Vatican
• Attend the Olympic Games
• Ride on a snowmobile
• Fly a plane  
• See my brother & sister graduate college
• See my family happy again & getting along with each other
• Find the true meaning of life and live mine to the fullest.

{MRI}

So, this past weekend my back/leg/hip pain got significantly worse. I ended up laying in bed all weekend just trying to find a semi-comfortable position where I didn't want to rip my lower body off. Sound extreme, yes--however I had not slept more than 3 hours in 3 nights and like I said, the pain was only getting worse. So I called my doctor first thing Monday morning and she called me in some more pain medicine and scheduled an MRI for Tuesday afternoon. I got this results this afternoon and apparently I have a herniated disc at L4-L5 and L5-S1 as well as degenerative disc disease. I am starting physical therapy next week and looking into getting an epidural to help manage the pain. It's pretty hard to have a positive outlook on things when it feels like nothing ever goes my way. 

On a completely different subject, I love this little girl =)